The debate over a community’s powers to impose spay and neuter restrictions on specific breeds of dogs could be headed to the ballot.

The Attorney General’s office has now given the green light for gathering signatures to overturn SB 861. The law would authorize local governments to enact ordinances specific to certain breeds of dogs– including mandatory spay/neutering and breeding requirements.

The bill, written by Senator Jackie Speier (D-San Mateo) and signed into law by the governor last month, sparked a pretty heated debate between owners of breeds like pit bulls and those who were ready to take action following some well publicized dog attacks.

If enough signatures are gathered, this would be the second referendum measure in less than two years; SB 2, a bill signed by former Governor Gray Davis to require more health care coverage on the job, was overturned by voters last fall as Proposition 72.